At the COP17 Climate summit in Durban, Ministers decide whether or not it will be possible for developed countries to reduce their emissions by rewetting drained peatlands for meeting their emission reduction targets under a future climate agreement. Wetlands International, together with other non-profit organisations under the Ecosystems Climate Alliance, call for mandatory accounting for wetlands, because this would mean that a strong incentive will be created to stop the loss of wetlands.

Last year, negotiators at the UN Climate Summit (UNFCCC) already agreed this should be at least voluntary, so up to a country to decide, but the Ministerial level never came to a decision on this last year.